The Jazzmasters VII (CD)

Paul Hardcastle

Amoeba Review

06/09/2014

Electro-funk legend Paul Hardcastle has spent the latter half of his long and storied career taking those smooth synthpop grooves of his youth and transferring them into the realm of smooth-jazz, often buoyed by the same minimal drum machine bop of his early work. Ethereal synth pads drawing out lush jazzy chords make a soft bed for gentle, emotional, otherworldly saxophone work and soothing ambient atmospherics. The funk is still in full effect and it's hard not to groove along to this music. This is smooth jazz of the highest quality, perfect for basically any occasion when one might desire feelings of relaxation or sensual peace within their own body.